As a result of recent terrorist attacks, there has been a heightened concern for the protection of first-response personnel. When entering these disaster sites, first-response personnel may be presented with both fire hazards and biological and chemical hazards. These biological and chemical hazards may come in the form of chemical warfare agents or as a result of the devastation of a disaster area. For example, at the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center in New York City on Sep. 11, 2001, the combination of the intense heat from the fires and the collapsing of the two 110-story buildings increased the likelihood of an asbestos contamination.
First-response personnel protective gear currently comes as firefighter suits or fully encapsulated chemical protective suits. Firefighter suits do not satisfy the aforementioned dangers because they lack the protection from biological and chemical hazards. Fully encapsulated chemical protective suits do not satisfy the aforementioned dangers because they lack protection from fire hazards. Chemical protective suits are also bulky, which minimizes a first-responder's ability to assist those in need.
Military personnel also lack proper protection during military missions from attacks involving biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear, and fire hazards. Like first-response personnel, mobility may be crucial in escaping from such hazards to save their lives and the lives of others. In current chemical protective suits, military personnel need to concern themselves with sudden and sharp movements that may tear their suits, thus eliminating their protective purpose.
Improvements to first-response protective gear are desirable to alleviate these and other drawbacks. Accordingly, new first-response protective gear are provided.